Compare towns
Barnet vs Hanover vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnet has the most affordable homes ($248k median).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Barnet | Hanover | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,855 |
11,685Highest |
1,577Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.7±5.3Highest 23% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnet and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,386±$15kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $247,900±$24kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $974±$72Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,386±$155 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,489Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,903 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hanover High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.